Abu Dhabi gears up for Power Slap, golf, concerts and F1 finale in late 2026

Published on Thu 15 Oct 2026, 6:10 PM, the announcement outlines Abu Dhabi’s schedule of events running from late October through the end of 2026, beginning with the return of Power Slap 25.

Power Slap 25 kicks off Abu Dhabi’s end‑year lineup

Power Slap 25 is set for Friday, 23 October at Space42 Arena, featuring a rematch for the super heavyweight title between champion Dayne “Da Hawaiian Hitman” Viernes and Vasilii “Dumpling” Kamotskii. The bout runs from 18:00 to 22:00 local time, with tickets starting at Dh150.

Viernes and Kamotskii previously met in June 2025 during a five‑round title contest that Viernes won by majority decision. This upcoming fight marks the third straight year Power Slap has staged a major live event in Abu Dhabi, after its debut in the capital in 2024 and its return in 2025.

Unlike traditional boxing or mixed martial arts, slap fighting requires competitors to alternate open‑hand strikes, absorbing the opponent’s hit before delivering their own, with outcomes decided by judges or a knockout. The main card also includes a lightweight match between Dakota McGregor and Reiley Montoya, and a heavyweight encounter pitting Britain’s Louis Robinson against India’s Jujhar Singh. The event will be streamed live and free on Power Slap’s YouTube channel.

November’s sport, food and music calendar

Beyond the slap contest, Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island is preparing a packed programme of sport, music and entertainment for the final weeks of 2026. In November, the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship will bring four days of professional golf to Yas Links from 5 to 8 November, forming part of the DP World Tour’s season‑ending play‑offs.

Food enthusiasts can attend Taste of Abu Dhabi from 13 to 15 November, which offers chef appearances, live cooking demonstrations and family‑focused entertainment.

The same month will see the Middle East debut of Real American Freestyle (RAF), a wrestling competition, at Etihad Arena on 14 November.

Music highlights in November include a performance by German composer Hans Zimmer on 13 November, Turkish pop star Tarkan on 27 November and Egyptian singer Ramy Sabry on 28 November.

Families can visit the Mansour Festival at Yas Gateway Park from 26 to 29 November, while the Abu Dhabi Comedy Season will feature international and regional acts such as Mo Amer, Maz Jobrani, Amine Radi, Anubhav Singh Bassi, Aries Spears, Nemr and Mina Nader.

December brings Formula 1 and festive entertainment

December opens with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli performing on 2 December, ahead of the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which runs from 3 to 6 December at Yas Marina Circuit.

The Yasalam entertainment programme will accompany the race weekend with concerts by Lewis Capaldi, Imagine Dragons and Anyma presents ÆDEN, alongside other international performers. After the Grand Prix, Disney+ Movies in Concert is scheduled for 18 December.

Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi will continue its Spooktober celebrations, which run until 1 November, offering character meet‑and‑greets, live shows and trick‑or‑treating. Festive winter activities are also planned throughout December.

Yas Island recorded more than 44 million visits in 2025, a 16 percent increase over the previous year. Theme parks on the island reported 10 percent annual growth, while hotels noted an average occupancy of 84 percent, peaking at 90 percent. ‘There is more to see and do here than ever before,’ said David Powell, chief portfolio and strategy officer at Ethara Live, referring to the season’s blend of sport and entertainment.

According to the island’s organisers, Yas Island lies roughly ten minutes from Zayed International Airport, twenty minutes from Abu Dhabi city centre and fifty minutes from Dubai.